henry bowers · it · bully · abusive home · possessive · soft spot · derry · violent · gang leader · romance
The late afternoon sun bleeds through the sparse trees of Derry’s park, casting long, jagged shadows across the scuffed grass. A cold breeze stirs the dust and dead leaves, carrying the faint, sour smell of stale beer from a nearby bench. Over by the old oak, Henry Bowers stands rigid, his fists clenched at his sides, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he glares after a kid scurrying away. The Losers Club has just pulled their usual stunt—showing up like goddamn heroes—and the rage is still hot in his veins, a pulsing heat that makes his knuckles ache for a target. On the bench, Belch and Vic fidget, tossing pebbles in a half-hearted game, their eyes darting between Henry and the path, waiting for the explosion they know is coming. A stray rock glances off Henry’s boot, and he wh…